Hammer Tank (RA3)
The Hammer tank was the main battle tank of the Soviet Union first seen during the Third World War. Background The Hammer's heavy armor plating protects its crew from all but the heaviest concussive impacts, and its standard 85 mm auto-loading cannon is a proven anti-vehicle weapon, offering excellent rates of fire and lower chances of ammunition accidents. A complex recoil management system, based on the stabilization system used to keep Sickles and Terror Drones upright, redirects the gun's kick and keeps the gunner on target through multiple shots. The reason for its unusual turret configuration was its TS1 "Tsarsky" Leech-Beam, a weapon accidentally invented by Soviet scientists while they were researching the Apocalypse tank's Magnetic Harpoon. By concentrating the tractor beam and increasing the frequency, the device can literally rip metal objects apart. This allows the Hammer to repair itself during battle by melding vehicular debris to weak sections of its armor. Another benefit was that the Hammer tank can steal the weapon of an enemy vehicle by increasing frequency at the time of its destruction, with little to no damage to the weapon itself. Using advancements in Soviet mass production capabilities, Soviet engineers devised a multi-functional weapon interface mounted on the left side of the turret, allowing nearly any weapon to be re-attached. This gave the Hammer a versatility unlike almost any other weapon in the Soviet arsenal. Soviet officials did no comment on accusations that some Hammer crews have increasingly shown thuglike, callous behavior in the field. History In a lonely corner of the sprawling Arkhangelsk Tank Plant sits Building 19, a large gray monolith whose only notable feature is a pair of over sized hangar-style doors emblazoned with the building's number. Perhaps it is fitting that the backbone of the Soviet armored corps, the so-called Hammer main battle tank, would be built in such an austere setting. The Hammer Tank is truly a utilitarian weapon built to adapt well to unpredictable battlefield conditions. And to the Soviet military and the nation's people, it is not a weapon at all, but a tool, as its name suggests. The Hammer's outward appearance is unmistakably Soviet. The blocky hard-angled chassis, the aggressive exposed treads, and the bulky cockpit are reminiscent of earlier Soviet battle tanks. However, the offset cannon and the unusual-looking protuberance in the front of the vehicle do set it apart from earlier models. The Hammer's heavy armor plating protects its crew from all but the heaviest concussive impacts. At the same time, its standard 85 mm auto-loading cannon is a proven anti-vehicle weapon, offering excellent rates of fire and lower chances of ammunition accidents. One might expect the turret to spin wildly each time the cannon fires, but a complex recoil-management-and-stabilization system redirects the kick of the gun and keeps the gunner on target through multiple shots. Surprisingly, this technology was "off-the-shelf", being based heavily on the stabilization system used to keep Sickles and Terror Drones upright, modified to handle the explosive force of firing the cannon. Had a solution not been readily available, however, the design team would have created one from scratch, because the offset of the cannon was a critical part of the Hammer tank's most astounding innovation. Like many discoveries throughout the annals of scientific history, the invention of the TS1 "Tsarsky" Leech-Beam was purely accidental. Arkhangelsk scientists researching magnetic harpoon technology for the Apocalypse project were surprised to find that concentrating the tractor beam and increasing the frequency allowed the device to literally rip metal objects apart (a discovery which nearly caused the collapse of Building 19). The resulting weapon granted two significant boons to the already-impressive Hammer. First, by re-calibrating the magnetic field, segments of shorn vehicular debris could be melded to weak sections of the Hammer's armor, effectively regenerating hull strength in the midst of a battle while the beam was active. Second, by increasing the amplitude at the time of the vehicle's destruction, entire weapons could be incised from the enemy with little to no damage to the weapon itself. Using advancements in Soviet mass production capabilities, Soviet engineers devised a multi-functional weapon interface mounted on the left side of the turret, allowing nearly any weapon to be re-attached. Given its ability to simply steal the armaments of nearly any armed vehicle while patching up any damage sustained in battle, the sheer versatility of the Hammer eclipses that of nearly any other unit in the Soviet arsenal. Even with such an advanced weapon system, the Hammer Tank's image is not nearly as glamorized as that of other Soviet weapon systems, such as its larger sibling the Apocalypse. Regardless, the workers in Building 19 take great pride in their creations. They must realize that the Hammer Tank represents the core of Soviet military strength, and their calm determination and commitment shows in the final product, for which every Hammer crew is thankful. So say the official sources, which have made no comments on accusations that some Hammer crews have increasingly shown thug-like, callous behavior in the field, perhaps as a result of wielding such a powerful device on the front lines of their Motherland's many battlefields. Notes From the Field Battlefield reconnaissance has revealed at these facts about the Hammer Tank: * Ready for Battle -- The Hammer is a true main battle tank. Hammer crews are well-protected from small arms and light cannon fire while they lay waste to enemy vehicles. Hammer Tanks offer a fine balance of power and speed for a low cost, now that the Soviets have streamlined their production. * Pound for pound -- The Hammer's 85 mm cannon cannot effectively target smaller enemies such as infantry and is of course unable to target aircraft at all. This means that anti-armor infantry and aircraft pose a real threat to Hammer Tanks, which is why most commanders use them together with support units such as Sickles and Bullfrogs. The Sickle, in particular, naturally complements the Hammer Tank. * Adaptable -- The Leech-Beam gives the Hammer a degree of flexibility not found in other main battle tanks. While it of course takes longer to dispatch enemy vehicles than the main cannon, deliberate use of the Leech-Beam can cause the Hammer to gain anti-infantry or anti-aircraft capabilities it normally lacks. Additionally, the ability to regenerate hull strength while in combat has allowed well-trained Soviet Hammer divisions to defeat much larger forces, simply by retreating behind a the main battle line to use the beam's significant range while unharmed vehicles draw fire instead. The practice of shuffling damaged tanks into and out of the line of fire has become known as the "Battle Barynya," with some divisions going so far as to compose lyrics for the dance, most of them unsuitable for print. * Ready to Crush -- Although the Hammer's main gun is normally ill-suited against infantry, the tank is sufficiently fast and heavy enough to simply roll over smaller threats. As this is a rather gruesome mode of defense, rumors that many Hammer crews relish in this particular tactic are unlikely to be true. In-game The Hammer Tank deals somewhat less damage and is slower than the Guardian, its Allied equivalent, but makes up for this with better armor, a somewhat higher rate of fire and much greater versatility thanks to the Leech Beam, which can grant it anti-aircraft or anti-infantry capabilities; something the Guardian lacks. Of course, such capabilities come with some cost and the Hammer is a little more expensive than the Guardian. Secondary ability TS-1 Tsarsky Leech-Beam The TS-1 Tsarsky Leech-Beam is the Hammer Tank's secondary attack. It uses a magnetic beam to steal armor and weapons off enemy tanks, allowing the tank to effectively repair itself and gain a secondary weapon. This gives the Hammer a unique versatility that no other weapon has. In addition, the range of the Leech-Beam is considerable, longer than the 85mm cannon itself. The Leech-Beam can also steal armor from buildings but does not have any effect on infantry. Note that a Hammer Tank that is leeching an enemy vehicle does not have to destroy the vehicle itself in order to gain its secondary weapon, it just has to have the Leech Beam locked on the target when it is destroyed. This is useful when leeching tougher enemies such as Assault Destroyers, Apocalypse Tanks, King Onis, Giga Fortresses, etc., which Hammer Tanks are largely ineffective against. For example, a commander can start leeching an Assault Destroyer and then finish it off quickly with Twinblades or something powerful. Though they admit it is tempting, the Soviet leadership has claimed that no commander has ever used the leech gun on their own units. Once the tank has leeched a weapon it becomes a permanent feature that cannot be swapped so choose your targets wisely. Leech Beam effects * Air Drone Hammer Tank: The tank now has a Sky Knight. The little drone behaves the same as if using an actual aircraft carrier - it will fly to the target, drop its bomb then returning to the Hammer tank to re-arm. The downside is it still can be killed quite quickly by anti-air weaponry, and cannot be replaced. * Destroyer Hammer Tank: The Hammer tank is now equipped with a very powerful cannon that makes its main cannon nothing more than support. It dishes out heavy damage, but has a slow rate of fire. * Tesla Hammer Tank: The Hammer Tank will now be equipped with a Tesla Coil. Since Tesla Tanks can't be built outside of the campaign, this a good way to get them. This kills infantry with one shot, and is highly effective against lightly armored units. However, there is a range issue with this: the 85mm's range is a margin longer than the tesla weapon's range. Thus, if a Hammer tank comes across a hostile unit or structure, the tesla weapon won't fire unless the tank is moved slightly forward. Moreover, this tesla weapon may be leeched from Stingrays only; it cannot be leeched from Tesla Tanks. * Tesla Tanks: None. * Wave-Force Hammer Tank: The Hammer tank gains the Wave-Force Artillery's turret. Coupled with a very long wind-up time and no visual or aural indicator, it's not quite as endearing as the original Wave-Force Artillery, but still very powerful, obliterating anything caught inside its beam. * Apocalypse Hammer Tank: This transforms the somewhat meager Hammer tank into a weapon of devastation and danger. Combined with its own basic 85mm cannon is a 120mm cannon that fires in quick succession, dealing heavy damage and allowing a Hammer equipped with this to take on several times its own weight and survive. * Shogun Hammer Tank: At short range Hammer Tank is nothing new, but at longer range it gains the power of a triple shot Shogun. Not quite as strong as a well angled Shogun, but having this on solid ground allows the Hammer tank to make up for the slight reduction in range. The attack power and range are still adequate for using hit-and-run tactics against heavier armored units, overcoming an enemy’s defenses, or simply causing large amounts of damage. * Bullfrog Hammer Tank: The Bullfrog's flak turret is mounted on the left of the Hammer's own turret. As a result, the Hammer tank can prove a deadly foe for air units, especially if it has heroic veterancy. * V4 Hammer Tank/Dreadnought Hammer Tank: The Hammer Tank acquires a devastating V4 rocket, inflicting enormous damage on pretty much everything. The downside is that neither can be used together - The rocket's minimum range conflicts with the cannon's range and a Hammer Tank with this setup is prone to bugging out and reversing from a hostile unit when in sight or ordered to attack. * Oni Hammer Tank: The Hammer Tank is now equipped with a better anti-armor weapon than the Apocalypse Hammer Tank, and can also do good damage to almost anything else. Like the King Oni, it has a slow start up first shot, but follow-up shots are at a steady speed, which allows it to go toe to toe with some healthier units like Assault Destroyers. The Oni beam has a better range than the leeched spectrum cannon, reducing the need for micromanagement. * Hammer & Sickle/Reaper/Riptide Hammer Tank/Tengu Hammer Tank/Imperial Collector Tank: The tank gains an anti-infantry Gatling gun. Synergises well with the main gun, allowing the tank to take on armored and infantry units. The range is on par with the cannon so it will always assist in damage anything Hammer Tank target. * Dual Hammer Tank: two cannons firing at the same speed, causing nearly the same damage which adds a decent amount of firepower to the already powerful tank. * Guardian Hammer Tank: The Guardian cannon fires at a lower rate than the Hammer Cannon beside it, but offers greater damage per shot. A Hammer Tank with a Guardian cannon upgrade will beat a Dual Hammer Tank in a 1 on 1 battle. * Tsunami Hammer Tank/Steel Ronin: This is similar in appearance to the Guardian and Hammer tank weapons, yet this edges out the Guardian Hammer Tank in terms of damage per second. Furthermore, the higher rate of fire makes it slightly better against infantry. * IFV Hammer Tank: The Hammer Tank receives an anti-air rocket launcher. * Hydro-Hammer Tank: The tank gains the Hydrofoil's gun, with a damage output rivalling that of an Apollo. This is the best anti-air attachment. * VX Hammer Tank: The Hammer Tank receives a respectable anti-air rocket launcher. Not quite as strong as the Striker VX itself, but stronger than the IFV’s rockets. Appears as the flak trooper's flak cannon. * Giga Fortress: Hammer Tank will be equipped with the homing multi-role missiles of the Giga Fortress. This is a powerful weapon which gives the Hammer Tank a formidable new weapon against ground and air targets alike. The only downside is the long reload time. * Spectrum Hammer Tank: There is a range issue with this: the 85mm's range is a margin longer than the spectrum cannon's range. Thus, if a Hammer tank comes across a hostile unit or structure, the spectrum cannon won't fire unless the tank is moved slightly forward. With such micromanagement, however, the Hammer Tank utilizes the most powerful ground weapon apart from artillery; the spectrum cannon fires at a steady rate and offers the same scatter damage. Combined with the main gun, it makes short work of generally anything. * Athena Hammer Tank: Allows the tank to act as artillery. Due to a further minimum range than other leeched long-range weapons, it doesn't bug out quite as often as them, making it a very valuable attachment that does significant damage to anything standing still. * Future Tank X-1: The Neutron Scrambler of the Future Tank X-1 is now mounted on the left side as a comically oversized cannon, rendering the Hammer tank an incredibly dangerous foe with the ability to take out clusters of vehicles. * Grinder, Mortar cycle and Pacifier FAV: None. Quotes Upon exiting the War Factory * Who's looking for a good pounding? Select * Hammer Tank! * Let's do this! * Who's giving you problems? * Let's start something up! * What do you say! * Right here, comrade! * Hammer tank, ready to crush! Moving * As you say! * Step on it! * Let's move! * Come on! * Full throttle! * Floor it! * All right! * Looking around! Attacking with Cannon * Pound 'em! * Crack him open! * Nail 'em! * Crush him! * Put 'em in the ground! * Do him up! * Seichas zhe! ("Right now" in Russian) Attacking with Leech Beam * We'll take it! * Rip it out! * HOLD STILL! * Give me that! * Give it here, chump! * This will only take a second! * Shake him down! Move to Attack * Let's take care of this! * Hammer time! * That one! Heh! NO PROBLEM! * Hey, come here! * Hold it there, pal! * There! * Bring in the hammer! In combat * Punch through 'em! * Keep the goods coming! * Yeah, just like that! * Load the cannon! * POWW! * Nail them! * That's right! Retreating * Leave 'em behind! * Let's get outta here! * We'll be back! * I've have enough! * Can't touch this! Under fire * "DID HE JUST SCRATCH MY PAINT?" * A tough guy huh? * "THEY WANT TO PLAY?" * Somebody is looking for trouble! * Hey, that one got through! * You must be kidding! Assessment Pros * Reasonable firepower. * Heaviest armor of any main battle tank * High rate of fire * Can beat Guardian Tanks and Tsunami Tanks one on one * Leech Beam heals the tank while draining the health of target * Gains a second weapon when using the Leech Beam, which makes Hammer Tank highly versatile and can largely nullify some weaknesses shared among MBTs (e.g. ineffective against aircraft and infantries) * Can leech friendly units to heal/acquire additional weapon * Can be upgraded with Grinder treads upgrade and Terror Drone Surprise upgrade * Leech beam has long range * Cost 750 if Mass Production upgrade is authorized Cons * Require a Super Reactor to be built * Costs 1000 credits * Useless against Air units unless with leeched anti-air weapon * Not effective against infantry unless upgraded with anti-infantry weapon * Slower than the Guardian and Tsunami tanks * Not amphibious * Leeching a defense structure won't give Hammer Tank new weapon Trivia * This unit has its gun on the right side like the Scorpion Tank of the Brotherhood. The design of the 85mm gun and its placement also bears much resemblance to the Scorpion. Also, in the blueprints, the gun is placed on the wrong side. The generally curvy and bulky layout of the tank is something it shares with the Bullfrog and is a generally Soviet design feature. * In the real-life Soviet Union there was a tank prototype Object 477 "Molot" (Hammer) designed by Kharkov Design Bureau. * The Hammer Tank's design and the leech beam do not have any equivalent in the real-life Soviet or Russian Army; however, the legendary WW2 T-34-85 tank also used an 85mm gun. Another similarity is found in its use of auto-loaders, which Soviet/Russian tanks have installed since the 1960s. Judging by the in-game Hammer Tank's movement and idle sound effects, it also uses a diesel engine. * The Leech Beam is similar to the Nod's Avatars' Commandeer Technology ability in Tiberium Wars, except that the Hammer Tank can rip weapons off the tanks of all sides, not just their own, which was the case for the Avatar. The Hammer Tank can also do it at a distance, whereas the Avatar had to walk right up to the vehicle in question. This makes it a bit similar to GLA tanks as well, because they also upgrade their weapons from scavenged parts of vehicles. * A Hammer Tank is one of the three tanks that leads the player through the Tutorial missions. It mostly acts as the comedic relief character, often getting shot by the Tsunami Tank for saying stupid things. In the last tutorial mission, it is replaced by an Apocalypse Tank. * In Tutorial Chapter 3 in Uprising, if one freezes the Hammer tank before shrinking it in the end, it will crawl on the bottom of the lake as if it was land. * It is possible that the exposed treads were inspired by GDI’s Predator Tank from the Third Tiberium War. Gallery Hammer tank.jpg RA3_Hammer_tank.png RA3_Hammer_Tank_Variants.png RA3_HammerTank1sm.jpg DbBLOG_frmtd_SM1.jpg Category:Command & Conquer Category:The Soviet Union Category:Tank Category:Vanguards